DUBAI - Six pioneering projects developed by youth from four UAE universities have successfully completed Phase 2 and advanced to Phase 3 of the current cycle of the University Entrepreneurship Programme (UEP), a Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) initiative.
In this phase, they collaborate with Mohammed bin Rashid Innovation Fund Accelerator to bring their ideas to fruition.
Participants graduating to Phase 3 were selected by a jury that included representatives from DFF, Mohammed bin Rashed Innovation Fund, Ministry of Finance, Emirates Development Bank (EDB), and Dubai SME.
The projects mark the start of the student journeys in the world of entrepreneurship and innovation through developing solutions that contribute to enhancing various sectors, such as power generation, healthcare, and water treatment, among others.
Acadlinks, the project submitted by American University of Dubai students, and Takallam, submitted by students of Zayed University made the cut to advance to the next stage. Also successful in moving to Phase 3 were University of Dubai students with their Spoken Hands and Utilization projects, and Amity University of Dubai students with their Populer and Le Solarium projects.
UEP aims to realise the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in achieving the goals of the sixth article of the Fifty-Year Charter to transform public and private universities into economic and creative free zones.
The winning teams were selected to join the Mohammed bin Rashid Fund for Innovation Accelerator, based on a set of criteria that included originality of ideas, their utility, and the ability to apply and develop them into use-case projects. In Addition, the top three winning teams also received financial incentives and cash support.
DFF Deputy CEO Abdulaziz Al Jaziri said, "The University Entrepreneurship Programme aims to achieve the vision and direction of Dubai’s leadership to support and empower the youth and university students to become pioneers and employ their creative and technical capabilities in shaping solutions, products and services that can be scaled into practical projects and emerging companies on the ground." He added, "These innovative projects represent an impressive start to student journeys in the world of entrepreneurship and provide them with the required support to translate their big ideas into actual projects, courtesy of UEP’s stakeholders. Our partners will continue to provide students with the support they need to develop projects that leverage cutting-edge technology, and to accelerate the application of their pioneering ideas. In doing so, they help the students kick off their contribution to the national economy." Fatima Al Naqabi, the Ministry of Finance representative at MBRIF, stated that the keenness of university students to participate in UEP confirms the initiative's success in spreading a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Al Naqabi added that this programme and others launched or backed by MBRIF drive the implementation of the Dubai Free University Zones Strategy through strengthening collaboration and partnership between government entities, universities, academic institutions and research bodies.
UEP has been incorporated into the academic curricula at various universities. While guiding students in enhancing their applied skillsets, the Programme builds two-communication with investment entities and business incubators to support student ideas and translate them into viable projects.
© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2021.
